Wednesday, July 22, 2015

TIPPY TEEN / VICKI "3rd Finger, Right Hand"

She's supposedly two different girls, almost a decade apart...
...even though both of them have the same boyfriend!
When this story from Tower's Tippy Teen #3 (1966) was reprinted in Atlas/Seaboard's Vicki #1 (1975), more than just the fashions and hairstyles were altered*.
Tippi became "Vicki", though her boyfriend remained "Tommy Trippit" in both versions!
Why did Seaboard change the character's name from Tippy to Vicki?
Nobody's certain.
But, since Vicki was cancelled after only four issues, the question is now moot.
 
*With sales falling on most non-superhero genres in the late 1960s (including Western and war as well as romance and teen humor [except for the Archie titles]), "updated reprinting" became a common practice on teen humor and romance comics until the genres all-but died out in the late 1970s.
Editors felt that:
a) the plots were relatively timeless.
b) updating the art was cheaper than totally-redrawing the story. 
c) the artists were better-utilized doing stuff that sold better (like superheroes).
d) the audience for teen humor and romance comics, unlike superhero comics, totally-changed every 5-6 years anyway, and wouldn't notice the "old" plots.
Next week:
We haven't decided yet what it'll be, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)

And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 11 Part 2

Art by Jay Scott Pike
...wait a second!
This scene, though the cover shot, is actually the final scene in today's story.
But this is what leads up to it...
And, now on with our tale...
Note: this is the wife Bob's currently separated from, as shown HERE.
Be back next month for the fireworks as the almost-ex and wanna-be bride go at it!
Next Week...
We haven't decided yet what we'll present, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #120 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, and Gene Colan with inks by several people I can't identify right off.
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 11

...in the little town of Danville Corners, where lust and naughtiness reign...
I hope Peggy isn't going to take that statement literally...for reasons we'll reveal
 Next Week...
The explanation for the splash page featuring (you guessed it) Peggy!
We can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #120 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, and Gene Colan with inks by several people I can't identify right off.
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Gothic Romance Beach Reads for the 4th...

There's nothing like a juicy Gothic romance novel for reading while lounging on a blanket under a sun umbrella...



And, for those who prefer a traditional prose tale to the graphic novel format...
and
Enjoy the long weekend!

Next week:
The Return of Reach for Happiness...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(We're up to the 11th episode and things are really getting juicy...)

And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

COWGIRL ROMANCES "Men Died for My Kisses!"

It's been a while since we've run a Western romance comic...
...so we looked for the most sensational story title we could find!
This 1950 one-shot from Atlas Comics is either #1 (if you go by the cover numbering) or #28 (if you go by the indicia on the inside cover).
The #28 indicates it's a continuation of Jeanie Comics, a teen humor title which ended two months earlier with #27.
As for why it's a one-shot, it seems rival Fiction House released their own Cowgirl Romances simultaneously...or just before...Atlas.
(We ran a couple of Fiction House's Cowgirl Romances stories HERE and HERE.)
Fiction House's title continued for 11 more issues while Atlas' book disappeared after this one appearance.
Neither the writer or artist(s) are known.
Fun fact: Atlas released six different Western romance titles in 1940-50, more than any other comics company...
Cowgirl Romances (1 issue)
Cowboy Romances (3 issues)
Love Trails (1 issue)
Rangeland Love (2 issues)
Romances of the West (3 issues)
Western Life Romances (3 issues)
You gotta give them credit.
When Atlas saw a hot trend, they jumped on it whole-heartedly!
Next week:
We haven't decided yet what it'll be, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)

And now a word from out sponsor...